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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29544591">I Love You, Goodbye</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Never_Eat_Sour_Wheat/pseuds/Never_Eat_Sour_Wheat'>Never_Eat_Sour_Wheat</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Half-Life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Affection, Angst, Crying, Emotional Hurt, Father-Son Relationship, Goodbyes, Inspired by Fanfiction, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, Other, Short One Shot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:41:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>645</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29544591</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Never_Eat_Sour_Wheat/pseuds/Never_Eat_Sour_Wheat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Tommy…” The G-Man starts, but he isn’t sure what else to say. He doesn’t know what he can do either, he feels so out of his element, and it’s something he hasn’t felt since he first adopted Tommy. “I…”</p>
<p>“I-It’s okay, Dad,” Tommy says, “I don’t blame you.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tommy Coolatta &amp; The G-Man</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Love You, Goodbye</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26553676">Invasive Species</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/saintsaint/pseuds/saintsaint">saintsaint</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a missing scene from chapter nine the fic Invasive Species by saintsaint, which is so so so good and you should absolutely read!!! If they are reading this, I hope I did your interpretations of these guys justice aosfnasdoifn Anyways, enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The familiar presence fades from the G-Man’s mind, and he watches as Tommy’s eyes grow wide and he knows it’s done the same for him. The presence of his (their) employers can never really leave, but it can be made into a dull roar, and with them giving the two family members a moment of privacy, it becomes just that.</p>
<p>“Tommy…” The G-Man starts, but he isn’t sure what else to say. He doesn’t know what he can do either, he feels so out of his element, and it’s something he hasn’t felt since he first adopted Tommy. “I…”</p>
<p>“I-It’s okay, Dad,” Tommy says, “I don’t blame you.” There are still tears in his eyes, and the G-Man wants to wipe them away, but he knows better than to touch Tommy when he’s upset, especially on his face. “I… d-do you know if, um…”</p>
<p>“I’m not sure when… we’ll see each other again, no…” The G-Man replies, and he feels a burning behind his eyes that he doesn’t know well enough to know how to stop the tears that bubble over after a moment. “I am… so proud of you. I know that… you’ll be alright.”</p>
<p>“I’m scared,” Tommy whispers. He sniffs and wipes at his eyes himself.</p>
<p>The G-Man very carefully offers a hand for Tommy to take, but he lowers it again when Tommy shakes his head. “This is… scary,” he says, because he’s not one to lie to his son. “But you are strong, and… I know that you will… pull through.”</p>
<p>“But what if-”</p>
<p>“Tommy.” Tommy goes still and silent, and the G-Man reaches out to put a hand on his shoulder to try and tell him that he’s not mad at him. He’s slightly surprised that Tommy doesn’t shrug him off, but he definitely won’t be complaining about it. “Listen to me. You are… so strong, and so smart. I cannot think of… anyone who would be more ready for this at… such a young age.”</p>
<p>“It’s a-all because of you,” Tommy says, and he chuckles every so slightly. “I-I’m gonna… gonna try and make you proud.”</p>
<p>“I’m already so proud of you,” the G-Man says. Tommy looks at him for a moment, and he finds his newly yellow eyes jarring after seeing his brown eyes for so long.</p>
<p>“I-I love you too,” Tommy says, and he lunges forward to hug the G-Man tightly. He wraps his arms around Tommy in return, and, when Tommy doesn’t move away after a few moments, he buries his face in his son's hair. “I’m g-going to miss you.”</p>
<p>“I’ll miss… you too,” the G-Man says, and he lets a few tears fall, “I love you,” and this time he says it plane as day, because he knows that the two of them say it every day in so many different ways, but they say the words themselves so rarely that it feels even more important this time. “We shouldn’t… leave them waiting.”</p>
<p>Tommy pulls away from his dad and scrubs at his face violently. His chest is heaving slightly, and his eyes are as red as they are yellow. “Y-Yeah,” he says. He swallows, and glances at the train behind him. “I’ll… I’ll see you soon?”</p>
<p>“Of course,” the G-Man replies. Tommy smiles ever so slightly, and turns to step onto the train. His face is pressed against the window a moment later, and he’s waving before the train even begins to move. The G-Man waves back, and he watches as the train disappears. He takes another moment to collect himself, letting out a single sob before he wipes his eyes. He turns away from the train tracks, with only one question on his mind, and he hopes that he’ll get the answer that he feels like he needs more desperately than he’s ever needed anything else.</p>
<p>“Well? Can you… fire him, or…?”</p>
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